Masala Prawn Popcorn Recipe

It's the weekend and my time with little D. We do are Mummy daughter things mostly on the weekends. But this weekend my little darling is down with a nasty cold. To make things worse, the anti histamine syrup prescribed by her doctor is making her drowsy and grumpy. My poor darling has lost her priceless smile as she is tucked away under her favourite tinker bell blanket, clinging to her tinker bell doll, as if almost hoping that this fairy doll will sprinkle some magical powder on her which will make her feel better. For a mother nothing can be more heart wrenching than seeing her little one unwell, even if it's just a common cold.

Garbanzo Beans, Apricot, Dill Meatballs Recipe | Vegan Meatballs | Kabuli Chana, Khubani, Suva Meatballs Recipe

In a world full of different people, we do not realise how many have touched our lives, influenced our thinking and shaped the person we are today. Even before we realise they have encircled us with a whiff of beautiful thoughts, sprinkled invaluable ways to improve ourselves and we without even realising, have been imbibing a little from each of them and evolving into who we are at this moment. But, that point of time, when this realisation dawns on us, we should without much ado, thank these priceless individuals and treasure them in our lives.

Pomegranate, Jalapeño, Mango Leather Chutney | Anardana, Jalapeño, Aam Papad Chutney Recipe

Chutney's from the Indian Subcontinent is that side dish which always enhances the flavour of the dish it is paired with. Chutney's are very versatile in nature and you can let lose your creativity to put together Chutney's of your imagination. You can dish out a relish or a yogurt dip with condiments or grind together roasted lentils with coconut or many other things to get the platter you serve it along with totally pepped up.

Pulihora Podi Recipe, ( Andhra Style ) / Tamarind Rice Powder Recipe

There is nothing better than Homemade, hand pounded spices to be used for cooking. Indian food is all about the magic we create with our spices. Unfortunately due to lack of time and also because most spice mixes are easily available in the Super Markets or with our Local Grocers, making freshly ground spices at home has become rare. Today, homes where mortar and pestle or the dual grinding stone or sil batta is still used to make spices is mostly in our vilages. That is the reason why the food cooked there is so pure and loaded with flavours.

Keema / Qeema, Sabut Malka Masoor, Methi Biryani / Chicken Mince, Whole Red Lentils, Green Fenugreek Biryani ~ My Ode To The Ingenious Chef Sara Riaz

The Biryani love affair is growing stronger and stronger with each passing day in my family. Whether it's that special meal in the weekend, or that one symbolic dish to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or the star dish at any family get together or house parties and even for potlucks, the one dish that is chosen with total majority is Biryani. My eternal gratitude to the queen who first had Biryani cooked for her famished soldiers when she visited their barracks. This one pot dish which houses the flavour of each of the ingredient you would have used, with full vigor to reveal to you a decadent gush of aroma, the moment you remove the lid and allow the fragrant smoke to take over your senses and of those with you at the dinning table.

Chironji Makhane Kheer With Mixed Nuts Chikki / Chiraunji Fox Nuts Milk Pudding With Nutty Caramel Discs ~ Celebrating Lohri

HAPPY LOHRI to all my readers,dear friends and everyone celebrating the festivities of Lohri. Today Lohri is being celebrated in India especially in Punjab with pomp and show. LOHRI is an Indian Festival celebrated to mark the end of winter, when people can come out of their homes and celebrate the harvesting of the Rabi (winter) crops and give in to relaxing and enjoying the traditional folk songs and dances, with sweets and festivities around a huge throbbing Bonfire.

Vangi Bhat / Aubergine Rice With Bendekai / Okra Raita ~ Udupi Cuisine

Those frequent trips to Udupi Restaurants holding on to daddy's finger, comes flooding in my mind as I am told that the first Blog Hop theme of 2016 is South Canara cuisine. Picture of a tiny head bobbling from side to side, a pony tail held in place with a pink rubber band with a few pink and blue plastic butterflies adorning it in gaps flashes by. Happiness was abound those days and smiles galore especially on these unplanned trips to my favourite Dosa restaurant, as I would remember these overcrowded indigenous joints with their bright red chairs and unceasing chatters. Perching myself on a chair I would happily hear daddy ordering Masala Dosa and as the order would be relayed to the open counter a few steps from us, I would with the biggest possible smile turn towards the large hissing griddle which puffed up smoke furiously as the man behind it sprinkled it with water with a swift movement of his fingers. The next thing I knew would be the clank clank of his spatula as he would get the Dosa ready, place the filling, fold the dosa and place it on the plate having a few cavities which would be filled with smoking sambar and colourful chutneys. I still can feel the thrill as I would break a piece from the dosa, dip it in the sambar then the chutney and savour it. That was my understanding of Udupi cuisine for a very long time.

Appe Payasa/Milk Pudding With Crisp Fried Semolina Fritters ~ Udupi Cuisine

Dear Friends & Precious Followers Of my Blog, Wishing you all a Very Happy and Prosperous 2016. I want to thank you all for showering so much love on my posts and encouraging my work. Without your unflinching support this Blog would not be what it is today. You all are my inspiration behind the stories I write, the dishes I cook and its your encouragement that keeps me going. My Blog looks forward to another year of basking in the warmth of your love and nurture. I promise to take you all to more wonderful food adventures. The dishes that I will bring to you will get more exciting. This year it is all about creating magic with simple and regularly available ingredients in our kitchen. I will bring to you recipes, with which you can create mind blowing dishes from ingredients which always abound the shelves of your kitchen. So let me take you all away with me to this thrilling culinary journey within the realms of your own kitchen. Let's together wok up dishes which delight the palate of your family and friends. Let's bring back the element of surprise to every dish we put up on the table and let's take our taste buds on an never ending carnival of flavours. Let The Culinary Adventure begin in our kitchen.